Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

StartupNWA; Fayetteville, Northern (AR, KY); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) at Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, AR oversees the decontamination and processing of Reusable Medical Equipment, supporting SPS management by prioritizing workload and coordinating with wards, clinics, and operating rooms.

The role trains staff, conducts quality audits, ensures adherence to PPE and SOPs, and supervises automated reprocessing equipment, inventory control, and instrument tray assembly for surgical

Responsibilities

• Decontaminate, disinfect, sterilize and prepare Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) following SOPs and device IFUs.
• Train new and/or lower graded staff in sterile processing procedures and equipment operation.
• Coordinate workload and instrument set preparation for scheduled and emergency operating room procedures.

Job description

Summary

The Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) is responsible for the decontamination & processing of all Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) at the Veterans Healthcare System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The lead works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team, distributing & prioritizing workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations.

Major Duties

The Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) demonstrates a working knowledge of the processes and procedures for cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing, and preparing Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) and remains current on the Standard Operating Procedures that govern the processes. Duties may include but are not limited to: Serves as a senior expert in inventories, replenishes shortages from sterile supply, inspects for sterility integrity for instrument Sets and expendable items. Adheres to and reports any non-compliance towards facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Follows up to ensure RME rotates at the appropriate intervals, communicates needs for restocking outdated supplies, and maintains stock levels of surgical supplies and equipment for wards, clinics. and the operating room. Initiates assigned tasks on requests for instrumentation based on the daily schedule of needs or individual requisitions. Rounds with supervision to ensure areas have performed daily housekeeping duties to ensure environment of care is maintained. Coordinates with those who stock individual surgical case carts with required instruments for each scheduled and emergency OR procedure. Ensures Staff operates automation equipment according to facility procedure to prepare, store, retrieve or process information. Trains new and/or lower graded employees at the request of supervision. Coordinates the assignments given by the supervisor to receive a full range of reusable medical supplies, instruments, and equipment from hospital wards, clinics, and operating rooms. Adheres to and reports any non-compliance facility regulations regarding application and removal Of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Ensures staff decontaminates reusable items by determining the appropriate method for removing gross contamination by means of manual cleaning procedures. Reviews adherence of staff in relation to disassembly, decontamination, and infection control practices of instrumentation in accordance with facility protocol. Ensure staff operate automated reprocessing equipment such as the ultrasonic cleaner and washer/disinfectors in accordance with the device Instructions for Use Monitors High-Level Disinfection (HLD) procedures by means of manual and automated processes while following the device(s) IFU's. Performs random quality audits by examining items and instruments for damage, deterioration, or imperfection. Reports and/or conduct training episodes to address any non-compliances. Aids in first echelon maintenance and troubleshooting reprocessing equipment. Maintains accurate written records of quality and preventative maintenance of such equipment. Ensures that staff follow all device specific Instructions for use (IFU) and set forth Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) while conducting assembly and sterilization procedures. Conducts audits to review staff adheres to facility regulations regarding application and removal of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Validates skill level of staff to ensure the efficient assembly of a wide variety of instrument trays and sets used for medical procedures including the operating room. Ensures quality checks for damaged or missing items of all instrument sets and arranges for replacements, maintenance, or repair as needed. Coordinates the workflow for assembly to include prioritization from a variety of sterilization phases for intricate Surgical trays and microsurgery instruments for the operating room (trays contain large numbers of unique, non-interchangeable, specialized surgical instruments of similar appearance, with minor variations in size, conformation, and nomenclature, but with major variation in application). Ensures that daily bacterial spore testing and sterilizer controls measures are met to ensure principles of sterilization. MST is vigilant on reprocessing steps and on the look-out for cross contamination and determines whether items are free of microorganisms. Monitors and reports biological testing for each sterilization cycle Accepts accountability for the maintenance of all preparation and packaging quality data. Research recommends, and applies to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Federal Drug Administration (FDA) standards as they pertain to sterile processing and the distribution of medical supplies. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, Scheduled hours will fall between 6:00am - 8:30pm with on call schedules. Subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 564-00944-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Evaluations

Area of consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: 1st Area of Consideration - current permanent Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks (VHSO) employees including satellites; 2nd Area of Consideration - current permanent Veterans Healthcare Administration employees; 3rd Area of Consideration - current permanent VA Nationwide employees; 4th Area of Consideration - current permanent Federal employees of other Agencies; 5th Area of Consideration - all other applicants IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Other Information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.